The present invention relates to a tour assisting program, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing program, and a storage medium on which the information processing program is recorded, and, in particular, relates to an electronic guide system or apparatus which can customize on a server, beforehand, contents such as tour guide contents stored in the electronic guide apparatus used by a user while traveling.
When making preparations for travel or a tour, it is usual to buy a plurality of tour guidebooks, destination maps, and a collection of conversations in the local language (in case of an overseas tour) and the like, and tour plans are made accordingly. Planning items are sightseeing places, shopping places, restaurants for dining, hotels for stay, and transportation among these destinations. This information is kept in a tour guidebook by writing memos, and folding down corners of particular pages of the guidebook containing key information. Recently, however, it has become popular to collect tour information through an electronic tour guidebook and the Internet.
At the travel destination, while carrying a host of tour guidebooks and maps, the traveler enjoys sightseeing tours, scenery, architecture, and food according to the tour plan made beforehand. Further, depending on the local circumstances, the traveler may visit places not listed in the tour plan and carry out a tour in a manner not originally planned. As a result, the tour plan is changed with reference to the tour guidebook, and other related items. During the tour, it is common to make a record by taking photos and writing down a tour diary. After the tour, it is also common to create an album of memories by arranging the visited places and the routes thereto, the photos, the memoranda, and the tour diary. Further, detailed information on the visited places might be reported in a travel magazine or the like.
Nevertheless, a conventional tour entails the following problems. In making up a tour plan, it is necessary to purchase a plurality of tour guidebooks, maps, and other necessary items and compare them with one another, thus calling for considerable work. Moreover, at the destination, the traveler has to carry heavy guidebooks containing much information having no bearing on his/her interest, as well as bulky maps, making a tour of the destination while flipping through these materials.
It is time consuming to arrange a huge amount of photos based on date and place after the tour has been completed. Further, if a detailed tour diary was not recorded, the date and the route taken to visit a sightseeing place is often forgotten. For these reasons, it is very difficult to obtain the maximum benefit from the tour in the conventional way. Further, there is no system able to assist in the three stages of the tour (offer of information, guide assistance at the travel destination, arrangement of a tour record after the tour, and the like).
In light of these circumstances, the present invention meets a need to provide an information processing apparatus which can help the traveler to enhance the value of a tour.